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About Hesperian student / (Lincoln [Neb.]) 1872-1885 | View Entire Issue (March 15, 1889)
THE HESPERIAN. 5 not take vengeance and be just, what object should it have in view in punishing criminals. It should protect itself from a repetition of the offense and it should seek to reform the criminal. More than this it should not attempt. The qucs tion of sanity should not enter into the trial. When a mur dercr was brought before a judge the question would he "Was the crime intentional and not in self defence?" If it was, then let the criminal be imprisoned until it appears that he will, in the future, obey the law. Further than this the state cannot go without great danger of being unjust and thus defeating its real object, the prevention of crime. This leaves no room for capital punishment, for, while a man thai had heen hung would no longer desire to commit homicide, one could not say that he had been reformed. When the London Times first published the forged letters it seemed as if a great injury had been done to the Irish cause. At that time the Times had more influence than any other paper in England, and the fact that it published the letters was taken, by many, as proof of their authenticity. The letters hurt Ireland by associating her champions with crime and bloodshed. The proposal to grant home rule was denounced as an attempt to place a part of the government of the British empire under the control of assassins. Since the collapse of the Times' case, public opinion has under gone a complete transformation. The concession of home rule is a foregone conclusion, but if it involved the with drawal of the Irish members from parliament, it is safe to say that it would be conceded by the English people with genuine bonow. I'amell, Davitt and Dillon stand next to Gladstone in the public estimation. This change in public opinion has been so great, I'amell and his lieutenants are so justly popular, the cause of Ireland so nearly won, and all this so largely on account of the forged letters that the Times deserves the thanks of all friends of Ireland. A bill, providing for the payment of a bounty of one cent a pound on beet sugar, has been introduced in the legislature of this state, and will probably become a law. The bounty system has been tried many times. Many exotic industries have been nourishc.l at the public expense. Russia paid a heavy sugar bounty and the result was an abnormal growth of the industry, then stagnation and panic. France paid a bounty on sugar and as a natural result England bought the article just that much cheaper. The merchants of France could afford to sell sugar at less than cost, because they made their profit on the bounty. France paid part of England's sugar bill. It has been the same in every instance J the many have paid the bills while the few have reaped the benefit. When a state subsidizes one industry there is no logic that will justify it in stopping short of subsidizing every industry. The boot-black and the sugar raiser, the scaven ger and ship-builder, they are all engaged in desirable in dustries, they all deserve encouragement, and, as nothing can be paid out as subsidy that has not first been paid in as tax, each would receive what he gave and the community would pay the tax-gatherer. THE UNION CONTEST. The third annual oratorical contest of the University Union look place in the University chapel on the evening of March 9th. The audience that had filled the chapel were called to order by H. T- Webber and the program opened by a piano duett, Fantasia Orientale" by Misses Cochran and Pound, which was beautifully executed. The first orator was R. D. Church who spoke upon "An Influential Class of Men." He outlined the character of the typical American, and claimed New England as their birth-place. It was the New England clergy who above all others had influenced the development and growth of American institutions. The colonial forms of growth gave them oppor tunities and they improved them; they made the government. They stamped their character indelibly on our institutions, and arc today the type of American citizen. Mr. Church had a well written oration but some figures, and the manner of delivery were faulty. Miss Edith Mockctt followed. Her oration on "Oliver Cromwell," abounded in clear cut sentences and logical argument; her delivery was distinct and catnest. She noticed the never ending strife between liberty and despotism; the human hatred of tyranny; the opposition to English tyranny, organized by Cromwell, made England what it is today, lie was not a religious fanatic, but the defender of political liberty. The next oration, on "James K. Polk" was presented by M. I. Uigclow. He reviewed the political situation just before the Mexican war and analyzed t he causes that pro duced it. He charged President Polk with being the cause of the greater strife that soon followed. Owing to a severe cold Mr. Bigclow spoke rather hoarsely, yet his delivery was forcible, argumentative, and well controlled. II. J. W. Seamark then gave a tenor solo, True to the Last," and received a hearty encore. D. N. Lehmcr then spoke upon "Political Parties." His production was well written and delivered in a free off hand style. lie first concluded that no institution was wholly good or wholly bad. Our government is the best representation of the best system, but its greatest curse is its political parties. They arc not democratic; they arc tyrannical. Let the people and not party settle great questions and there will be more patriotism and less demagogy. Miss May Tower next gave, wjth a very pleasant, easy, controlled, conversational delivery her oration on "A Momen tous Question." She spoke of the great question pending at the meeting of the twenty first congress, and gave a eulo gistic review of the Webster-Haync contest. A review of the ougin of the dispute with a description of the contest on the floor of the senate, which settled forever the interpretation to be put upon the constitution with reference to state rights. The last oration, "The Best Occupation," was given by A. M. Troycr. He believed that in deciding this question three factors, health, wealth, and happiness should be the guides; and held that the occupation of the farmer had many inducements in this line; more independence, freedom, pur ity, opportunity for development on the farm than anywhere else. The arrangement was logical; the delivery easy and unaffected. Mr. Troycr made an earnest, feeling plea for the farmer and many a warmgrasp did he receive for it from the farmer boys in the audience. Dr. Eaton and Mr. Ilossack gave a banjo duett and were repeatedly encored. Remarks and reminiscences by the Alumni present were in order while the decision of the judges was being made out. The judges Messrs . H. II. Wilson, '78, S. D. Cox, 8o, and C. E. Stratton, '80, awarded the first prize, twenty dol lars given by the Union Alumni of '88, to Miss May Tower; the second prize, ten dollars given by the society, to D. N. Lehmer. For fruits, confectionery, etc. you will do well to call on L. G. Chevront, 1221 O street.